The Greyhound is a breed of dog and a sighthound. It is an ancient breed historically developed for hunting game by sight and speed, and has later been used in organised coursing and greyhound racing. Greyhounds are also kept as show dogs and companion animals.
Greyhounds are characterised by a tall, muscular, smooth-coated build, a long tail, tough feet, and a distinctive flexible, "S-shaped" outline typical of sighthounds. They are a distinct breed from other related sighthounds, such as the Italian Greyhound.
The Greyhound's long legs, deep chest, flexible spine, and slim build enable high sprinting speeds. In racing contexts, Greyhounds can reach peak speeds of at least , with typical winning speeds of approximately .
Appearance
Males are usually tall at the withers, and weigh on average . Females tend to be smaller, with shoulder heights ranging from and weights from , although weights can be above and below these average weights. Greyhounds have very short fur, which is easy to maintain. There are approximately 30 recognized color forms, of which variations of white, brindle, fawn (pale tan to dark deer-red), black, red, and blue (gray) can appear uniquely or in combination. Greyhounds are dolichocephalic, with a skull which is relatively long in comparison to its breadth, and an elongated muzzle.
Temperament
Greyhounds are gentle and affectionate.Livinggood, Lee (2000). Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies, p. 31. IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., Foster City, CA. They do well in families with children, as long as the children are taught to treat the dog properly with politeness and appropriate respect.Livinggood 2000, p. 55-56 Greyhounds have a sensitive nature, and gentle commands work best as training methods.Livinggood, Lee (2000). Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies. IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., Foster City, CA.
Occasionally, a Greyhound may bark; however, they are generally not barkers, which is beneficial in suburban environments, and they are usually as friendly to strangers as they are with their own families.Branigan, Cynthia A. (1998). Adopting the Racing Greyhound, pp. 17-18. Howell Book House, New York. . A 2008 University of Pennsylvania study found that Greyhounds are one of the least aggressive dog breeds towards strangers, owners, and other dogs. However, Greyhounds can be prone to sleep startle/sleep aggression if suddenly disturbed while napping. Owners can encounter this problem, as many Greyhounds sleep with their eyes at least partially open, appearing awake.
A survey of those adopting rescue Greyhounds found that Greyhound adoptions have higher short term adoption success than shelters. The survey also found reported hyperactivity levels to be below that of shelter dogs."The Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP) in Australia and New Zealand: A survey of owners' experiences with their greyhounds one month after adoption" Applied Animal Behaviour Science Elliott, 2010 vol. 124, issue 3-4. pp. 121-135.
Greyhounds tend to be outgoing, happy and sociable with people and seem to relish human contact, even following owners from room to room at home (known colloquially as being a "Velcro dog"). Small animals including cats may be the subject of prey-driven behaviour by Greyhounds.
Companion Historically, the Greyhound has, since its first appearance as a hunting type and breed, enjoyed a specific degree of fame and definition in Western literature, heraldry and art as the most elegant or noble companion and hunter of the canine world. In modern times, the professional racing industry, with its large numbers of track-bred Greyhounds, as well as international adoption programs aimed at re-homing dogs has redefined the breed as a sporting dog that will supply friendly companionship in its retirement. This has been prevalent in recent years due to track closures in the United States.Flaim, Denise (2010) 'Forward Thinking', Sighthound Review, Vol 1 Issue 1.Madden, Raymond (2010) 'Imagining the greyhound: 'Racing' and 'rescue' narratives in a human and dog relationship', Continuum, 24: 4, 503 — 515 . Outside the racing industry and coursing community, the Kennel Clubs' registered breed still enjoys a modest following as a show dog and pet.
As a result of their breeding and training, Greyhounds can have a strong prey drive, but little or no recall response. This puts a released Greyhound at risk of injury or death if they run into a wire fence, or traffic. Further, other small pets may be mistaken for prey. Greyhound re-homing bodies therefore recommend that Greyhounds remain leashed at all times unless inside a fully secure and fenced area.
Some jurisdictions, such as Victoria and Western Australia mandate leashes for Greyhounds when outdoors.
Health and physiology
A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 11.5 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds. A 2005 Swedish study of insurance data found 60% of Greyhounds died by the age of 10, higher than the overall rate of 35% of dogs dying by the age of 10.
The speed of a Greyhound is due to its light but muscular build, large heart, highest percentage of oxidative–glycolytic fast twitch muscle fibers (Type IIa) of any breed,Snow, D.H. and Harris R.C. "Thoroughbreds and Greyhounds: Biochemical Adaptations in Creatures of Nature and of Man" Circulation, Respiration, and Metabolism Berlin: Springer Verlag 1985Snow, D.H. "The horse and dog, elite athletes – why and how?" Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 44 267 1985 double suspension gallop, and extreme flexibility of its spine. "Double suspension rotary gallop" describes the fastest running gait of the Greyhound in which all four feet are free from the ground in two phases, contracted and extended, during each full stride.Curtis M Brown. Dog Locomotion and Gait Analysis. Wheat Ridge, Colorado: Hoflin 1986
Compared to humans, the activity of the anaerobic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase in Greyhound muscles is about three times higher, but even so, their lactate dehydrogenase activity is lower than that muscles of antelopes and cheetahs when these are also compared to humans. The activity of the aerobic enzyme citrate synthase is comparable to that of human endurance runners; this indicates muscles capable of both high speeds and high endurance.
The musculature of both hindlimbs constitutes more than 18% of their body mass. The proportion of both forelimbs muscle mass is very similar. The proportion of back musculature is 12% of their body mass.
Due to the Greyhound's unique physiology and anatomy, a veterinarian who understands the issues relevant to the breed is generally needed when the dogs need treatment, particularly when anesthesia is required. Greyhounds cannot metabolize barbiturate-based anesthesia in the same way that other breeds can because their livers have lower amounts of oxidative enzymes.Blythe, Linda, Gannon, James, Craig, A. Morrie, and Fegan, Desmond P. (2007). Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound, p. 416. American Greyhound Council, Inc., Kansas. . Greyhounds demonstrate unusual blood chemistry, which can be misread by veterinarians not familiar with the breed and can result in an incorrect diagnosis.Veterinary Consultants Are Sighthounds Really Dogs?, 2017
Greyhounds are very sensitive to insecticides.Branigan, Cynthia A. (1998). Adopting the Racing Greyhound, p. 99-101. Howell Book House, New York. . Many vets do not recommend the use of flea collars or flea spray on Greyhounds if the product is pyrethrin-based. Products like Advantage, Frontline, Lufenuron, and Amitraz are safe for use on Greyhounds, however, and are very effective in controlling fleas and ticks.Branigan, Cynthia A. (1998). Adopting the Racing Greyhound, p. 101-103. Howell Book House, New York. .
Greyhounds have higher levels of red blood cells than other breeds. Since red blood cells carry oxygen to the muscles, this higher level allows the hound to move larger quantities of oxygen faster from the lungs to the muscles.Blythe, Linda, Gannon, James, Craig, A. Morrie, and Fegan, Desmond P. (2007). Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound, p. 82. American Greyhound Council, Inc., Kansas. . Conversely, Greyhounds have lower levels of platelets than other breeds.
Delayed haemorrhage following trauma or routine surgery is more common in Greyhounds, with one study reporting significant haemorrhage in 26% of Greyhounds following routine gonadectomy, compared to 0-2% in other dog breeds. This is often termed Greyhound fibrinolytic syndrome or breed-associated hyperfibrinolysis, wherein there is a disorder of the fibrinolysis system without derangement of the primary or secondary coagulation systems, and is also not related to platelet count. In this syndrome there is initial adequate hemostasis following trauma or routine surgical procedures, however 36–48 hours later the site undergoes inappropriate hyperfibrinolysis. This results in delayed bleeding which can result in significant morbidity and mortality. Standard pre-operative blood work does not identify those at risk It is distinct from common bleeding disorders in other breeds such as von Willebrand's disease, which is uncommon in Greyhounds. Although high-quality research data are lacking, it is thought that this condition can be prevented and treated by administering antifibrinolytic medication such as tranexamic acid via the oral or parenteral route. Intensive care and blood product administration may also be required in severe cases.
Greyhounds do not have undercoats and thus are less likely to trigger dog allergies in humans (they are sometimes incorrectly referred to as "hypoallergenic"). The lack of an undercoat, coupled with a general lack of body fat, also makes Greyhounds more susceptible to extreme temperatures (both hot and cold); because of this, they must be housed inside.Blythe, Linda, Gannon, James, Craig, A. Morrie, and Fegan, Desmond P. (2007). Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound, p. 394. American Greyhound Council, Kansas. . Some Greyhounds are susceptible to corns on their paw pads; a variety of methods are used to treat them.
Thyroxine levels in the Greyhound are below the normal reference range for dogs; thyroxine response to thyroid-stimulating hormone is also lowered. This can impact testing for thyroid disease but it is not a concern for health.
History
Origins "The true origin of the Greyhound is unsure, but drawings of findings from the Çatalhöyük site in Turkey (6000 BC), the finding of a Greyhound-like dog in a funeral vase in the town of Fusa in Iran (4200 BC) or in rock art in Tassili (dated at 5000 – 2000 BC) indicate that the Greyhound is indeed one of the oldest breeds of dog."SVOBODOVÁ, H., BARTOŠ, M., NÝVLTOVÁ FIŠÁKOVÁ, M. and KOUŘIL, P., (2015). Genetic analysis of possibly the oldest Greyhound remains within the territory of the Czech Republic as a proof of a local elite presence at Chotěbuz-Podobora hillfort in the 8th–9th century AD. SbNM B, 71, pp.17-24.
The ancient skeletal remains of a dog identified as being of the Greyhound/saluki form were excavated at Tell Brak in modern Syria, and dated as being approximately 4,000 years old.Clutton-Brock, J., 1989. A dog and a donkey excavated at Tell Brak. Iraq, 51, pp.217-224.Structured Deposition of Animal Remains in the Fertile Crescent during the Bronze Age, José Luis Ramos Soldado, Archaeopress, 2016, p12, Dogs that look similar to Salukis and Greyhounds were increasingly depicted on Egyptian tombs from the Middle Kingdom (2134 BC–1785 BC) onward.